NYCC plans.. take 1.

If I don’t end up running round and round like I do for a lot of other cons. Here’s tentative plans for NYCC 2011. There’s a lot of overlap, and so I might be changing this even up to on the day of the event.

Thursday:

• Pro Panels
• Exhibition room

Friday:

• Unusual Manga Genres
• Yen Press
• (Staring at a lot of Makoto Shinkai marathons) Will try to squeeze in one or two.
• Interview
• Anime Industry Panel
• Hiro Mashima & Kodansha Comics
• Nintendo Event
• Vertical

Sunday

• Viz Media
• Makoto Shinkai movie

Thinking about Otakon 2011… ver 3

So the schedule is live… and after sometime pursuing the things to do. Yes to the fact that there is so much to do, crammed in such a tight spot.. so I thought about these things to do.  These are the things I am interested in doing, and not necessarily going to be able to do.. if there is a something else for that time to do.. then I would have to drop what I write like a hot potato.

Friday

4pm-5:30 PM Makoto Shinkai (Autograph 2) (BCC 349)
7pm-9pm CHEMISTRY Concert (BCC Hall D)
11pm-12am The Truth of the Strawberry Milk, a Gintama Panel (Panel 6) (Hilton Key Ballroom 1-6) (Maybe)

Saturday

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM*** Hoshi o Ou Kodomo + Q&A (video room 5)
3-4:30pm Makoto Shinkai Q&A (Panel 6) (Hilton Key Ballroom 1-6)
10PM-1AM Saturday Night Fan Parodies (Video Room 1) (BCC Hall A)

Sunday
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM VIZ Media Panel Panel 3 (BCC Ballroom I-II)

Kinokuniya’s Day of celebrating Valetine Day via Anime and Manga

Since Valentine’s Day is on Monday this year, this past weekend New York City’s Kinokuniya had a afternoon of events in the name of celebrating Valentine’s Day. One thing to start off the event was a free giveaway from Viz, so Kinokuniya was promoting Mistress Fortune, a new manga from Tanemura Arina.

This event was suitably advertised, so when I arrived at the bookstore, the place was very packed. It was starting to feel relatively stifling, so just as some tips for attending an event at Kinokuniya. Come early to claim a spot! Go with friends, so that if you need to vacate a seat for a few minutes, make sure you have a place to come back to.

Samurai Beat Radio panelists

I made it to listen to Samurai Beat Radio’s panel on hip hop music’s influence on Japan and what anime/manga are also hip hop culture inspired. The panel went on for about an hour, there were comment integration from Hip Hop USA.

These are points that I was able to pick up from the onset of the panel.

• Graffiti art also goes well with the Hip hop comment, so hip hop in Japan had it roots at Yoyogi Park around the 1980’s.
• Hip hop in Japanese culture at the beginning was an underground movement, and Slang got adopted by the Japaneses.

There are three significant titles that show hip hop influences:

• Tokyo Tribes (Manga inspired by the events of Shibuya gang relevant issues. Licensed in English by Tokyopop)
• Samurai Champaloo (Time of samurai, there’s also hip-hop)
• Afro Samurai (Black samurai)

Other lesser significant titles that has hip hop influence are Tengo Tenge, Paranoia Agent, and Gintama.

Popular Japaneses artitsts that is influenced by hip hop included Home Made Kazoku, Dragon Ash, M-flo, Rip Slyme, Halcali, ZEBRA. From these artist mentioned, I definitely didn’t mind hearing the samples that were played.

Following this program there was a mention and giveaway provided by @onepiecepodcast

Recap to NYC Greenwich Halloween Parade 2010

DJ Ozma inspired...

This is a pretty late entry, but for my memory purposes. Not that it is any shape and form relevant to Japanese culture, unless you count the amount of Asians I saw this year, as well as the occasional anime costume wearing people, then this is one possible activity that adults in New York City do on Halloween that is different from the kiddies going trick or treating.

The Greenwich Halloween Parade is a procession of people in costume walking from Spring Street to a designated area. This is an annual parade that occurs in NYC, that if applied earlier and with good reasoning – then it is a treasure trove of photographs to be taken.

Brain anyone?

This is my first year as press for the venue, so other than feeling some soreness, it is a good practice for night time photography. So other than following the directions of the NYPD, and surrendering a majority of images for press photos, as well as following with a lot of other photographers, and fighting positions for the best poses/shots.. then my memories of Halloween is going to be something like this for the time being. Much like cosplay, I really am not sure if I have the interest to go dress up.

Some costumes that stood out for me

• The Chile miners, people seen the rescue, so what else can people dress up as?
• Bedbugs, yes NYC has an infestation.
• Outlandish costumes such as naked girls, paint girls, padded guys, woman and her tampon, laundry – are quite memorable for me. I didn’t get an image of the woman and her tampon, but yes I can remember it and chuckle.
• A group of Japanese dressed and dancing to DJ Ozma’s Bounce With Me… that is easily one of my favorite moments of the parade. That song while, very very tacky is memorable in being a highly wtf moment on Kohaku a couple of years ago.

Monkey King

A gallery of my images are all available here for print sale or perusal, so these images.. I share are only a snippet of my memories.

NYAF/NYCC Schedule Draft 5.0

You know why I am going on 5.0..because I have been changing and editing with pencil on paper.. so this is the latest and I hope last time I change my schedule..

Saturday

Comics, Graphic Novels, and Manga for Adults
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Room 1A17

Special Topics in Graphic Novel Librarianship: A Roundtable
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Room 1A17

Vertical, Inc.
Time: 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm
Location: Room 1E14

VAMPS Concert – If you’re given free tickets and there’s HYDE.. what is the response of going to see them…upon already missing them the previous years.. >_<

Sunday

Archie Creators Tell All
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: Room 1A14

Culinary Manga
Time: 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Location: Room 1E12

X JAPAN CONCERT

NYAF/NYCC Schedule Draft 2.0

Okay okay.. so with the latest thing coming up.. fixing and setting last things to definitely do. So not going to kill myself with things.. Although things will get changed at the very last minute.. if autographs get in the way. They better not.. but if autograph gets in the way.. then..

Friday

Minori Chihara Spotlight
Time: 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm
Location: Room 1E09

Anime in Academia
Time: 4:45 pm – 5:45 pm
Location: Room 1E12

Hatsune Miku: Meet The Makers of a Digital Idol
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Room 1E14

Mardock Scramble Premiere with Tow Ubukata
Time: 7:15 pm – 9:15 pm
Location: Room 1E13

Saturday

— denotes conflict — Still have to decide what to do.

Hatsune Miku Concert  (Screening)
Time: 11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Location: Room 1E03

Voice Actors: East Meets West (Minori Chihara Appearance)
Time: 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
Location: Room 1E09

Comics, Graphic Novels, and Manga for Adults
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Room 1A17

–Yen Press
Time: 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
Location: Room 1E14

–Special Topics in Graphic Novel Librarianship: A Roundtable
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Room 1A17

Del Rey and Spectra Books
Time: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Room 1E14

–Vertical, Inc.
Time: 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm
Location: Room 1E14

–Yoshiki and Stan Lee
Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Room 1A08

–Gay for You? Yaoi and Yuri Manga for GBLTQ Readers
Time: 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Room 1E12

–Minori Chihara Concert
Time: 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: IGN Theater

Graphic Novel Roundtable
Time: 8:45 pm – 9:45 pm
Location: Room 1A22

Sunday

Archie Creators Tell All
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: Room 1A14

Culinary Manga
Time: 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Location: Room 1E12

Then I definitely know that I am off to go for X Japan’s concert.

Autograph Reminders

James Marsters Booth 2908 (J&J Collectibles)
Minori Chihara

NYAF 2010 – Schedule Draft

So this time is getting on for NYAF again.. Well it merged with NYCC -so that’s NYCC/NYAF.. since the schedule is out.. and I probably am going to plan it to the point.. then this is a tentative schedule of what panels I want to probably go and check out… sooo.. this is not even a final schedule. Lots of overlapping.

I will have to try to update my phone…. soon. So I will be mostly live tweeting things that I see and do while I am on the convention floor. Plus have some other gadgets so we shall have to see then.

* is a priority or higher preference to go.

Friday

*Minori Chihara Spotlight
Time: 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm
Location: Room 1E09

Extending Conversations about Graphic Novels
Time: 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm
Location: Room 1A15

Might have to be late since – Autographs is at that time.

*Anime in Academia
Time: 4:45 pm – 5:45 pm
Location: Room 1E12

Hatsune Miku: Meet The Makers of a Digital Idol

Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Room 1E14

Mardock Scramble Premiere with Tow Ubukata
Time: 7:15 pm – 9:15 pm
Location: Room 1E13

Saturday

PUBLISHER SPOTLIGHT: HARPERCOLLINS – Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Paranormal List Leaders
Time: 10:45 am – 11:45 am
Location: Room 1A17

Comics, Graphic Novels, and Manga for Adults
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Room 1A17

Yen Press
Time: 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
Location: Room 1E14

Special Topics in Graphic Novel Librarianship: A Roundtable
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Room 1A17

Del Rey and Spectra Books
Time: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Room 1E14

Vertical, Inc.
Time: 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm
Location: Room 1E14

Yoshiki and Stan Lee
Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Room 1A08

Gay for You? Yaoi and Yuri Manga for GBLTQ Readers
Time: 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Room 1E12

Minori Chihara Concert
Time: 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: IGN Theater

Graphic Novel Roundtable
Time: 8:45 pm – 9:45 pm
Location: Room 1A22

Sunday

Kodansha USA
Time: 10:45 am – 12:45 pm
Location: Room 1E12

Archie Creators Tell All
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: Room 1A14

Anime, Manga, and Harajuku Fashion: The Secret of International Competitiveness of Japanese Pop Culture
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: Room 1E14

Oni Press
Time: 1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Location: Room 1A14

Culinary Manga
Time: 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Location: Room 1E12

Then I definitely know that I am off to go for X Japan’s concert.

Otakon 2010 Summary/Recap

This year I was at Otakon as press for Anime Diet, and I have to say this is the first that I have used all my powers as press to even did what I did this year. Is it a person give up of attending press panels, when there are fan panels. Probably, but what my comprehension was of this convention, and any other convention – is that there must be an agenda to keep. So this year was an interest in attending Japanese music guests events. I have been at Otakon for a couple of years now, and my interest have changed slightly with each year that I have been attending Otakon. I have always attended as much Japanese guest appearances as much as possible though.

There are way too many things to try and plan for, and with Anime Diet being only a few people this year on the East coast. There’s only so much I can do, so I mostly ran around, and saw some friends that I did.

Was only able to plan to attend one fan panel on Friday,and did some several 18+ panels at night, which I wasn’t as impressed with.Didn’t get to see Welcome to Space Show premiere, so found myself at odds with attending press conference on Sunday. Attended the major concerts – Yoshida Brothers, HMK, and then sat thru Masquerade to listen to a fantastic – only two song performance by Yoshiki and Sugizo

Mostly on Saturday, I attended four press conferences.. If I did meet people, then I met people.

On Saturday night, hung out with some friends, in their hotel room. Then on Sunday made it to Dealers Room and not Artist Alley… bummer.. I might have missed the chance of seeing one of my favorite fan artists as well.

I got a some graphic novels, some video games, and an autograph from Yoshida Brothers.

Next con I will be going for is NYCC/NYAF.